I'm With You
by Lady Delphox
Summary: Grovyle had just started to lose hope when he is reunited with none other then his once-human partner and best friend, though on not so good terms. But what really hurts is that she doesn't remember a thing about their time together. Can he somehow manage to salvage their lost partnership, all the while hiding his true feelings? Lemons. Pmd.
1. Team Luminary

Summary: Grovyle had just started to lose hope when he is reunited with none other then his once-human partner and best friend, though on not so good terms. But what really hurts is that she doesn't remember a thing about their time together. Can he somehow manage to salvage their lost partnership, all the while hiding his true feelings?

Prologue: "Meeting Team Luminary."

Grovyle couldn't believe his eyes. There, right in front of him, was the Time Gear of Crystal Cave. It couldn't possibly be _that_ easy, right...? 'I mean, I did have to go through a nasty fight with the guardian of Mistrise Forest's Gear and not to mention that damn sand pit,' he thought to himself. 'Maybe this is a lucky break?'

Apparently so... Or not. His heart thudded within his chest, a cold feeling washing over him like a wave. He could feel it in his bones, something very bad was about to happen. Something that would also happen to be quite rewarding at the same time. That was something he didn't quite get. His 'gift,' as Ahri had insisted upon it being, was something he hardly understood, if that. But he rarely ever questioned the feelings he got. They never steered him wrong before.

And then, just like that, the cold feeling was gone, then back again at full force. Understanding the message, Grovyle twisted out of the way of a multicolored beam just as it was about to strike him. With a growl, he spun around, coming face to face with another beam- Psybeam, he recognized the attack- and lunged forward, knocking his assailant to the stony floor with a single hard strike. Without giving the Pokémon a chance to recover, Grovyle was on it, shooting a Stun Spore technique he had learned from an Ivysaur on his travels. It was then that he allowed himself to examine his attacker.

It was a blue fairy like Pokémon. Probably the lakes guardian, Grovyle realized. No wonder he attacked. Too bad nobody cared to listen to his story, otherwise things would have been much easier. Now for the Time Gear...

"I-I was expecting... You..." the guardian forced out through paralyzed lips. Grovyle paused in his advance towards his prize and looked over his shoulder. "Oh?" Please don't let this be another one of those poorly made traps to catch him. He had had enough of them.

The guardian chuckled. "Yes... Uxie... told me. You'll never get... The Time Gear!" and then, as if on cue, massive, sharp crystals sprang from the ground, completely surrounding the lake. Grovyle eyes widened and with a shout of alarm he rushed forth, for once being too late and stopping just shirt of a large crystal.

"Oh shit. No, you've got to let me through," he swore, rounding on the fairy and glaringangrily. "I need that Time Gear!"

"Not while _we're_ around, you don't!" a new voice exclaimed, causing the grass type to snap his head in the direction of the voice. A Shinx, with a red and white bandana around his neck, bounded into the cave. A nonchalant looking vulpix trotted at his heel. Despite there being two new intruders, Grovyle found himself paying more attention to the vulpix. She was obviously female if the subtle yet graceful curves and contours of her body had anything to say about it. Her head was down, but not in a defeated way, more of an i-dont-care-at-the-moment-but-i'll-still-fight-you way. He was suddenly painfully interested in the fire type female that had undoubtedly come to stop him.

It was then he realized the shinx was speaking, so he frowned and took a step back. "I don't want any trouble, and I'm sure you don't either. I just came for one thing and one thing only."

"Yeah well, if you get what you came for then everybody else will suffer and we can't have that. Ain't that right, partner?"

Then the vulpix looked up and he was stuck on her eyes. They were a vibrant, smoldering green color with flecks of gold. They held something fierce and cautious and went wonderfully with her coat, which was the color of glowing hot embers.

"Mhm." Then she tilted her head to the side and simply... Stared. It was a heated and uncomfortable feeling glare that made the cold feeling wash over his body again, which was ironic considering it was a fire type that triggered it.

He finally seemed to snap himself out of whatever trance the fox had put him into and form a proper returning glare. He then met the shinx's aggressive stance with a challenging look. Might as well fight his way out and come back later, if he couldn't get the Gear now.

"One last chance, kid. This doesn't concern you and you know it," he growled. And still the two persisted with the glares. Grovyle stretched his limbs.

"Well, I normally hate to do this, but..." He started. Maybe he could intimidate these kids into scramming so he could find a way around the crystals. It usually worked. Ahri had always said he could be a real scary asshole when he really put his mind to it.

The shinx took a step back, not out of fear, Grovyle noted, but in a purely strategic way. The vulpix looked at him and nodded, as if they were reading each other's mind, and suddenly the room felt _so_ much hotter. And not just because he was a grass type and vulnerable to heat, it was so hot that even the guardian was visibly sweating buckets. The shinx, admittedly, was taking the heat like a champ, as if he had practiced and built a resistance. The vulpix was, surprise surprise, completely unaffected. Daresay she even looked a little pleased. Grovyle Steeled his cold glare. Looks like this situation got a whole lot hotter.


	2. Inner Musings

Summary: Grovyle had just started to lose hope when he is reunited with none other then his once-human partner and best friend, though on not so good terms. But what really hurts is that she doesn't remember a thing about their time together. Can he somehow manage to salvage their lost partnership, all the while hiding his true feelings?

 **Man, this idea suddenly struck me while playing PMD Explorers of Sky for the fourth time. Then I noticed that there are hardly any Grovyle/OC or Grovyle/Main Protagonist stories.**

Chapter One: "Musings of a Sarcastic Fox."

Grovyle, needless to say, got his ass kicked.

"Don't play with fire, lizard, and you won't get burned," the fox had taunted him, speaking for the first time, as she and her partner slowly advanced on him. Not one to sit around and wait for something to happen, he had leapt into action, attacking the shinx with a Leaf Blade that had him reeling. Grovyles triumph was short lived because as soon as he landed the hit, the fox was on him with a Flame Charge. Combine this with the unnatural heat in the room and it was Grovyles turn to reel back. The vulpix covered her partner completely as he staggered to his feet. Then, after making sure the electric type was okay, without words of course, she turned back to attacking Grovyle.

Some things that he noticed about the fox Pokémons fighting style was that she held an incredibly relaxed yet aware form. She seemed totally in her comfort zone as she easily dodged his attacks, and not because of her speed. She was, in a barely noticeable way, more slow moving then her size should have allowed, but not in a sluggish way that hindered her movements. Instead, the lack of normal speed seemed to be working to her advantage. She had amazing agility to make up for it, ducking and weaving around every attack Grovyle threw at her.

What irked him more than he would care to admit was what she had said previously. Don't play with fire, lizard. It repeated in his head without preamble, even as the said vulpix finally burned him with a point blank Flamethrower, fired right after she had ducked under one of his Slashes and appeared right in front of his face. And then, seemingly our of nowhere, he was hit with a blast of electricity that forced his muscles to lock in place as if a Haunter had Licked him.

This was not good. He needed to escape, pronto, before he was captured for good with no way out. He was treading dangerous waters and he knew it. So, out of sheer force of will, he broke through the paralysis momentarily, yet just long enough to use Dig and burrow into the ground. He could hear the frustrated growl of the shinx from up above, and he could hear the light footsteps of the vulpix as she prowled about, waiting for something that would never come. Using this opportunity to escape, he dug deeper into the ground and off in a random direction. He would come back later, when he could find a way around in peace.

OoO

Shadow growled in frustration. Ahri just sighed, realizing that the Grovyle wasn't coming back up for a sneak attack.

As Shadow went to check on the guardian, Azelf if she remembered correctly, she got lost in thought as she stared vacantly at the Time Gear across the lake. Her heart sped up, as if her excitement was triggered by just _seeing_ the Gear. This, of course, had happened every single time she had seen a Gear, or had just been in a Gears resting place. She had no idea why she felt so... Relieved every time.

She'd never told Shadow about these feelings. Who knew how he would take it. Despite being so understanding about her visions, she had a feeling that if the truth about her were to be revealed before it was ready to be accepted, then it would only mean bad things for her.

Not to mention Grovyle. He seemed _so_ familiar... If only she could just remember why that was. Even while she was staring him down when she first entered the underground cave, she couldn't figure it out.

Once Officer Magnezone and, surprisingly, Wigglytuff, appeared, Ahri allowed herself to snap out of whatever trance she had induced herself into.

She and Shadow were steered back to the guild, Shadow grumbling incoherently the whole way back. Ahri stayed silent. Frankly, she was glad to be away from all this Grovyle and the Time Gears bullshit. She just wanted to crash into her straw bed, pass out, and never wake back up again.

"I mean, seriously!" Shadow exclaimed, pacing back and forth in front of the window in their shared room, his agitation clearly displayed by the way his star like tail sparked and by the way his fur seemed to stand on end. "We could have had him, if he weren't such a coward!"

Something about that statement just didn't sit well with the vulpine female resting in her bed. She raised her head and fixed the shinx with her best glare. He shrunk back.

"Idiot. He obviously takes this... Career, of his very seriously. He didn't want to risk capture by giving in to his pride," it was one of the rare moments that Ahri spoke more that a few sentences out loud, and with such fervor too. It made her wonder why exactly she even bothered to defend the outlaws honor. Still, it had a positive effect on her partner, who had finally calmed enough to sit down on his bed and breathe a resigned breath. He looked at Ahri.

"You know what, you're right," he admitted, looking quite shamed at his behavior. Ahri rolled her eyes, but caught herself before saying anything harsh. At least he would shut up now.

"I should just be happy that we stopped him from hurting Azelf any further to get to the Time Gear. At least he can't get to it now." Finally. So now he learns. With a satisfied nod, Ahri rested her head on her front paws and closed her eyes. Through her lids, she could see the room lose the rest of its light as she heard Shadow blow out the candle she had lit earlier. "G'night, Ahri..." He said and yawned.

Then there was silence. She would figure this out. She would. But first she needed to sleep.


	3. Suspicious

Chapter Three: "Suspicions of a Suspecting Fox and a Stressed Lizard."

The guild was in positive chaos.

"Oh-Em-Gee! Oh-Em-Gee!"

"I can't believe it at all!"

"By golly, I think i'm bout to cry from happiness!"

"QUIET, recruits! Stop ACTING like a bunch of GIRLS and get READY! You're so EMBARRASSING!"

Immediately, everyone quieted down and scattered. Loudred huffed in indignation and turned to yell (or maybe speak?) down the sentry post.

"WELL, sentry? What are you WAITING for? Let him IN!"

Ahri, who had been awoken on her day off to a the screaming and yelling, couldn't help but ask in her signature bored yet irritated voice,

"Who the fuck is Dusknoir?"

It was like that simple question had caused mayhem once more. Everybody looked at the vulpix like she was not mentally right. Even Shadow looked at her like she had two heads. "What? It's a legitimate question."

"Alright everyone, calm down, calm down!" Chatot called, causing everyone to stop looking at Ahri like she was a complete idiot. Despite this, however, it was clear Chatot felt the same way about the fire fox.

"Dusknoir is an amazing explorer. He is world renown for his knowledge and strength-"

"He got famous over night!" Shadow interrupted, stars in his yellow eyes. Looks like _he_ sure got over the whole Grovyle thing, Ahri thought with hidden irritation.

"Well, I wouldn't say over night, just really fast," a new voice said haughtily from behind her. Everybody turned around in unison. "But I guess that wouldn't make a difference."

OoO

Grovyle growled out in pain as he rubbed the Rawst Burn Cream on his burn mark. The vulpixes Flamethrower had really done a number on him, much more damage than a Burn Heal could fix. The cream had taken up most of his savings, but he couldn't necessarily go hunting Time Gears injured.

He then sighed, leaning his head back against the tree he was sitting against. All this went straight back to the Time Gears. How would he get to the one in Crystal Crossing?

The vulpix. She had to be the key.

Or maybe that was just his hormones talking. He shook his head.

He couldn't stop thinking about _her._

 _Which one?_ his mind taunted. _The dead one, or the enemy one?_

She wasn't dead. She wasn't.

Probably.

Possibly.

Though for some strange reason, every time he dared think of _her_ his mind automatically switched to the other _her-_ the vulpix.

He didn't even know her name. _How pitiful. Moping over some chick whose name I don't even know? Dusknoir would never let me live this down. Then again, neither would_ _ **she…**_

He remembered that, too. The way she would torment him over the craziest of things, and how he would then proceed to make some sarcastic remark and pretend she never got to him.

But she did.

She may have never talked that much, but when she did… when she did, she knew exactly what buttons to push and how often to push them. She lit up his inner fire, and she never even knew it.

Then, just like that, she was _gone._

Ripped away from him at the worst possible time. The time he needed her with him the most. Of course, she had taught him much over their time together, like how to be strong and how to keep his self together. But of course, he had no idea how to be strong on his own when they were first separated. He had been falling apart and, although he liked to think he was strong now, he still was.

She hadn't taught him to be strong without her.

He didn't think it was possible. It wasn't possible.

He had held on, held out for her, just long enough to get a few Time Gears on his own. Now, after just one encounter with a nameless vulpix, he was falling apart again- and this time, _she_ wouldn't be there to pick up the pieces.

OoO

Ahri was irritated.

Shadow had gone into full fan-girl mode along with the rest of the guild (except, surprisingly, Wigglytuff. Her respect for him had gone up tenfold), and it was getting old quickly.

She sat at the back of the crowd, deciding to let her mind wander as her partner fawned over the creepy ghost pokemon.

She never thought she would wake up on the beach, with no memories other than her name at that, to the preppy shinx that called himself Shadow. She could remember, clearly, everything that happened after that first meeting.

Shadow was a coward. It was no secret, at least when they first met. She found she didn't like that in a partner and told him that straight out, and he learned to straighten out real quick. Of course, he had his moments.

Like the time at the waterfall. She had received another one of her flashes, this one of the past, and then told Shadow what she saw. When she brought up jumping through the waterfall, he nearly backed out, until Ahri gave him a very harsh reminder of the Drowzee and Azurill incident. He was considerably compliant after that.

It was surprising that the water crashing down on her didn't hurt as much as she initially thought it would.

Then there was the quicksand situation. Shadow wasn't as reluctant as the waterfall, but he did still take convincing.

She'd had sand in her ears for a week after, but at least their mission was successful.

And of course, the Drowzee incident. That was when Shadow had first learned to trust Ahri when she said to do something.

She wondered if she could get a read on Dusknoir. He seemed way too creepy for everybody to just trust him blindly.

"Why, of course you and your team can come with!" Dusknoir exclaimed, snapping Ahri out of her daze.

Her eyes widened. "Wha-"

"Awesome! You hear that, partner? We're going exploring with the great Dusknoir!" Shadow sounded excited. _Way_ too excited.

"N-"

"Isn't this exciting?!"

"Sha-"

"I can't wai-"

" _SHADOW!"_

Silence. Ahri prepared to tell Shadow no, Dusknoir was too suspicious to go anywhere with alone. But then she got to thinking. What if she could get a vision off him? Maybe then she could properly judge him.

She sighed.

"Looks like we're hoing exploring with Dusknoir."

And it was her day off, too.


End file.
